The news of Stella St. Claire's secrets spilling all over the Capitol. Just like before, she lost her job, her status, her reputation. Effie destroyed her without even breaking a sweat. The thought of that sent shivers down Haymitch's spine. Everyone thought of her being the usual Capitol doll, harmless, and dumb. Little did they know, she's probably the most dangerous woman in the Capitol.
Effie decided to spend some time with Finnick. It's because she spent so much time working throughout the season and basically shutting herself down from feeling any possible human connections that she lost track of him but it's also because she's making sure no one will dare to send him any envelope again. She cares deeply for the boy and it hurts her to know that someone had hurt him that way. It hurts her that all of the Victors went through the same thing as if the terror of surviving the arena is not enough.
It is the last night of the season before Gaius' Victory Tour kicks off. They all spent it at the bar, drinking, and partying. Haymitch won't be attending the Tour as well as Chaff so they want to savor the unlimited supply of alcohol before going home. Effie sat on the bar with Finnick who is listening intently to her words.
"How do I gain that kind of power? Everyone here looks at me like I am a piece of meat. They don't want my company. They just want the image of me, the Victor", he asked.
He is twenty now but for Effie, he will still be the young Victor who asked her to be his friend and gifted her with a lighter.
"See, that's where your image will come through. This city values reputation more than anything. Popularity, appearances…you already know how important that is. No one in this city has a clean slate. You must always remember that everyone is hiding something in order to keep that perfect image they value so much and that is what you're coming after, my dear. Find out their secrets and it's like you got a leash on their necks. That's going to be your secret weapon in this world", she answered.
Effie took a sip of her cocktail and glanced around to give her escort smile before turning back to Finnick.
"So, hunting for secrets…that's the plan?" he asked again.
"Hunt them. Trade for them. You get them any way you can. The more secrets you have, the thicker your armor will get. Believe me, once you succeed on that, no one will dare hurt you again…except for some powerful people but that would be rare", she answered and then shrugged.
The boy engraved that in his mind. He never wanted to experience that again and if hunting for their secrets will be his weapon, he is willing to do anything to get them.
"What is your secret then? You said everyone has them. What's yours?" he asked curiously.
Of course, he doesn't mean it as a leverage against Effie. He is just really curious about it. Effie knows that too because she gave him a warm smile. At this point, she already got tons of secrets in her closet but not all of them is worth sharing.
"My little secret is that I care so much. I care so much that it hurts", she answered and Finnick felt it to his heart.
He knows what she did to avenge him from Stella St. Claire. He saw it on the news and asked Mags about it. She told him how Effie did it. It is how the games are played but Effie defied the rules for him, for Haymitch. No other escorts are willing to do that for District citizens like them…only Effie. She cares too much and that is a weakness if the other Capitols find out about it. She can lose her tongue or her life.
"Well, that's not much of a secret for us. Thank you", he said and it somehow it made all the trouble she went through exposing Stella worth it.
At the lounge, Chaff and Haymitch are trying to drink the night away while watching Effie and Finnick at the bar. They are still shocked that the envelope already happened to the young Victor but they both know it's inevitable.
"Your Escort is really something, huh. I saw that news", Chaff muttered.
The bar is loud enough. They can talk freely without getting heard. That's why they love the place so much. That's why every Mentor chose that bar than others.
"Don't know what you mean", Haymitch tried to play dumb but it doesn't suit him.
"Come on. Trinket maybe looked harmless but she's smarter than most and she's extremely well-connected. I always wondered how it took four years before the boy got his first envelope and why you don't get them anymore. Now, I know why", Chaff concluded.
It is true. Effie shielded them from that bad side of the world as long as she can. She sticks her neck out for them. She is a part of the family more than the escort.
"She has her way. I never liked it but she has her way", he said.
When he saw Effie smiled at Finnick, he knows she's going to be alright. She's not going to be hundred percent fine but she will make it and so is the boy.
"Well, for what it's worth, I like Trinket more than any other escorts in this fucking city and I promise to have her back", Chaff suddenly said.
Haymitch raised his bottle to that. Effie sure had made an impression to them. He is worried about her, the toll the game is taking on her but he will always be there for her, to keep an eye on her, to be his shield and he won't be the only one. The others got her back too. Effie and Finnick marched to them with a curious look on her face because he has been staring at her.
"Well, I hope you're done drinking yourself into oblivion because it's late and I need to turn in. Are you staying? Bear in mind, I have no intention to wake up in the middle of the night to get you out of detention facility tonight", she said.
He smirked because he detected that playful tone in her voice, laughter she's trying to suppress.
"I haven't drink enough to tune your ranting out of my ears but I can continue this at the penthouse", he teased.
So, i thought about Finnick getting the idea of his hobby to collect secrets from Effie since she's already doing that. Here it is!
